it almost looks like Michigan calling a smart pitch against Michigan State for a huge gain. Sadly, I don't think we have that play in our playbook. Anyone have a reason to think Nussmeier will come out with such creativity and try to switch up MANBALL. (Assuming MANBALL is not analytically equivalent to "Never try anything creative in the run game.")

Nice to see parts of the sports blogsphere merging. Also good to see that we aren't have a conversation about Timmy Chandler and the complexities of non-Americans playing for the US. The analogue for Michigan football--wanting a coach who is a "Michigan man"--is just as hopeless and unproductive. ((Althou(Alhjkhgjkhkhjk

Does looking forward to a possible Bama UFR make me (1) a sick, sadistic bastard or (2) a disgusted fan who is looking to see what actually went wrong? I think (2) helps us move forward as fans, and I am hearing the first sounds of a decent analysis from Brian and Ace in this podcast and initial post-game blogposts. First admit Bama is a great team, then see where you sucked and how things could/should have been different. We had to play a great game, we had to coach a great game--and neither happened. Figuring out why things happened helps to see if massive ennui ought to evolve into desperation and anger over poor play and coaching, depression over impossible odds against top teams turning to hope for future Hoken recruiting, or a bit of both.

I agree with Brian on the bad music choices. Seven nation is overplayed (Any chance that we can get Jack/Meg White , as fellow Michiganians and possible Wolverine fans, to file an injuction so only UofM can play White Stripes songs? Probably none, but it's an idea); Sweet Caroline is just too sappy and passé.

Look, music and anthems and fight songs have meaning; we don't just choose them because they "set the tone" or "get people excited." These songs, the better ones, present and preserve important values while engaging the passions of fans. Let the Badgers jump around. Michigan should be different, Michigan should make its music traditions congruent with our values.

I think Michigan should try playing "You'll Never Walk Alone" during the break between the Third and Fourth Quarters. It is a stirring, gorgeous melody that, if properly included in our gameday traditions, would further set Michigan Stadium apart as a unique place to watch college football.

Did Hoke just suggest (to Frank Beckmann, I believe) that the #1 jersey could be given out to a non-receiver? And did the Michigan fan base fail to go crazy because a Michigan Man suggested such an evil thing? I think Rich Rod did add something to the Michigan tradition while he was here: a greater acceptance for new ideas and a reduction in intransigent obsessions with how Michigan traditions, especially as embodied in coaches, such be observed. Rich Rod smoothed the path to allow a less eloquent, gregarious, plain man to coach our Wolverines.

Philip is right: these guys did their part as fans to encourage our fans and enrage Bucknuts, unfortunately, the later being far easier to achieve than the former. Let's get these guys singing the national anthem against the Bucks on November 26th. Stick it to the Bucks!

Liveblog, per usual, adds color to my Michigan football viewing. Trying to find a balance between the moderators and submissions is difficult. Today's liveblog leaned too heavily on the mods, at times making it seem as if I was listening to a conversation between a half dozen buddies.

I thought a better cord was struck in the Northwestern liveblog--chaotic yet directed. Mods have a tough job, and are sacrificing watching the game to mod while sneaking peaks at the action. Hard, underappreicated job, those mods have. Having a play-by-play mod to corral comments adds necessary cohesion to the liveblog experience. This is enough direction to allow for wider comments, divergence into off-topic jokes, and banter between commentors. Keep working on this--if it is perfected as the rest of the site, mgoblog will rocket to futher heights.

Cooper reveals his love of the Wolverines in the second question from The Life:

The Life: As a spectator, which team sport is your favorite to watch?

Cooper: Well, I think hockey is, by far, the most exciting live sport to watch. Football -- college football -- to me is, for some reason, a lot more sincere than NFL football. I think it's because they're not playing for money. I'm a Big Blue fan, so I sit and I watch Michigan, or really any good game. You know, if you've got Auburn playing Alabama, you have to watch that game, 'cause you know those guys hate each other. [Laughs] So, those are the great games.

In national football now, I kind of feel like it's a business, even though I'm a dyed-in-the-wool Detroit Lions fan. It really just seems like more of a business than it is a sport sometimes.

****

Request: to recognize Cooper's fandom please include more Cooper-centric images or videos or memes--"Only Buckeyes Cheat" for the daily OSU scandal, "Welcome 2 My Nightmare" for The Horror, "No More Mr. Nice Guy" for a nasty defensive performance, ect.

For being able to see past his frustration with the Hoke hire, which, to my mind, was completely justfied. The MANBALL meme seemed an incredibly poor reason to hire a coach, particularly when MANBALL was not as successful during Carr's later years.

Do like Hoke having the belief in his players to go for the win. Brandstatter briefly asked on the radio broadcast, "Should you kick the ball with 8 seconds left?" The heart says no, the brain says no--most importantly, Hoke said no. I even like the counterfactual attempt to go for the win with two seconds left.

Look, there is little "objective" value to beating App State. There won't be an ESPN film if we whip them by 50. It has subjective value to our program--and that is enough reason to play them again and again and again until App State declines an invitation to play in the Big House. We won't let those little bastards beat us again; we are a proud program to remember our past and take on opponents that have embarrassed us. Michigan is bigger than the memory of that loss. Yes, in scheduling App State the whole country will remember how big of an upset it was; Buckeye fans will piss themselves with glee glorifying in the glow of that awful day.

We are Michigan. Our tradition is bigger than a mere loss. We can prove that by playing them again, reliving the past, then planting a new course for a dynasty by trashing a team that gave us nightmares. This matters subjectively--there is a history; we can get past it by reliving and ultimately destroying that team multiple times to overshadow a solitary horrid loss. Hell, let’s go to their home and destroy them in front of their own fans.

I want to see those bastards stomped out like a wasted cigarette, spat upon, then given a golden shower for good measure. I want to see App State fans crying. I want to see players weeping on the sideline, begging their athletic director not to schedule Michigan again. After destroying App State, again and again and again, I want Brady Hoke to point to wherever Carr is sitting in the pressbox, and remind him how a team practices and is ready to play on game day.

Brian, what would Bo do? (A new t-shrt idea...) Would Bob duck these little shits or would he want to play App State again, destroying them, to remind everyone that Michigan does not get beat at home by a Division I-AA squad.

Brian, great piece: it spoke to my frustrations as a Michigan fan, my hopes for RichRod, and my frustration with the Hoke hire.

To be sure, the Hoke hire represents a return to the old ways, the "Michigan ways" on offense and defense. Do you think it possible that Hoke could advance the program through pragmatism? Rich Rod brought the spread-n-shred to Michigan, and started to recruit players for his offense. Hoke has been flexible in his previous stints, and he must be flexible to be successful with this Michigan offense. He may want the classic Michigan pro-style, but he must use a hybrid of that style--at least the so-called "Gulf Coast" offense--to use the outstanding athletes (Denard) he has for the next two years.

What are the chances Hoke's offense in 2014 is another hyribd of the Gulf Coast, this time with some of spread-n-shred DNA from RichRod? I'd like to hear your opinion on this possibility of gradual evolution. A great Michigan man, Fielding Yost, wove punctuated equilibrium into Michigan's football heritage. Perhaps Hoke can gradually improve the program through his pragmatic attitude (and of necessity).

"Better than Robbie Finley"--does that mean Meram is a forward who can do more than run really fast? Or do more with his first touch than merely waste decent through balls? Sorry for the sarcasm--hope your friend was actually being sarcastic when he made the comment. Internet does not transmit sarcasm well.

If the players had to earn their wings before the season, can they lose them for disgusting performances during the season? If so, then most of the defense should be starting against BG with plain blue helmets. I can understand being beaten by superior talent, stradegy; but today was not such a day. Time for Rich Rod to remind the boys who is boss, where they play, and why such crap will not be tolerated in the future.